Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods and apparatuses for activating an application on a user device with a remote device.
Description of the Related Technology
Applications installed on user devices may require activation to enable their access to data, allow remote configuration and management of the application, or to enforce license requirements. For example, an application may have limited or no functionality until activation has been completed.
One method of activating an application on a user device requires a user to copy an activation number from an email into an application. The activation number is then communicated to a remote server to activate the application with the remote server. In the case where several applications require activation with the remote server, a separate email is required for each one, making the process time consuming and complex for the user.
So called Single Sign On (SSO) systems have been proposed. These systems allow a user to login to a resource using a separate identity provider. The identity provider is trusted by the resource to verify the user's credentials to access the resource. Several different resources can use the same identity provider, avoiding the need for a separate username and password for each resource. Examples of SSO systems are discussed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2012/0072979.